Choose Wisely

The entire world has been in lock-down for the last 4-7wks from a virus we started out knowing virtually nothing about. I think our understanding as a whole as improved and yet we still really don't know anything about it. Depending on which side of the fence you are on will determine who you blame and what you believe. I have literally watched a press conference and then read the follow-up article and the two have not matched. Everyone wants to spin it their own way. I think the only thing we can all agree on, well except for China, is that is came from China. So we have all been "self-isolating" or have been in quarantine in our homes. Not really a true isolation or quarantine as we can leave if need be for things like groceries, exercise and vet visits with our pets. And if you do leave, someone is going to have an opinion on the importance of your trip - of course just speculation as they really don't know because they didn't ask - or your need for a mask and gloves and yet they themselves don't actually use them properly. In 6-12 months, I believe the bankruptcies filed will hit an all-time high from businesses not reopening, leading to the unemployed staying unemployed. In Florida, we have already broken the unemployment website as it was not built for such a surge of requests, especially not on the same day. Last week the local beaches here in Jacksonville opened with limited hours and restrictions. And I discovered something....more like something I already knew was reinforced. The same people that said to shut the state down are the ones that are complaining because we are still closed. The ones that wanted to beaches opened are they same ones that are saying they were opened too soon. There are people you are just not going to make happy. There are those that will always have to have something to complain about because that is who they are, that is their normal. When all is said and done and businesses have reopened and Air B&B can start renting to out of state guests; when we get back to "normal", what will it look like? Will it really be just as we left it? Will there all of a sudden be no masks, no social distancing, concerts of 1000+ people knocking into each other? Or will there be a new normal? Will there still be people who choose to wear a mask, refusing to fist bump and definitely, definitely no hugs. Will people go back to not spending time with their families because of a meeting or a rough day at the office or they have peopled enough today? Will we go back to fathers expecting the mothers to go to work and do all the things at home that need to be done, all while making sure there is a hot meal to eat when he gets home? Or will we be nicer, kinder, more understanding? Will we share and still check in on our elderly neighbors? Will we continue to have family game night and go on bike rides and walks with the kids? This is a choice we all get to make. We get to individually decide how we choose to come out of this time of sequestering. We can choose to forget what we have learned and the time we have had with our families and act like this was just an interruption in our regularly scheduled program. Or we can choose to embrace the changes, enjoy our families, be nice to the grandma that is not even aware you are waiting for her to pick her cereal. It is your choice. Choose Wisely.

Writing Prompt #1: Use the Author As the Model

Explanation: Rewrite the first three sentences of a favorite book or current book you are reading. Change the names, verbs, etc using the sentence as your guide. Book: The Wrong Side of Goodbye, Michael Connelly (chosen because it is literally the only fiction/novel type book on the bookcase next to me) "Bosch didn't mind the wait. The view was spectacular. He didn't bother with the waiting room couch. Instead he stood with his face a foot from the glass and took in the view that ranged from the rooftops of downtown to the Pacific Ocean." Rebecca could wait for hours. What she was taking in was remarkable. She couldn't stand staying inside. Instead she was out on the balcony where she got the full view of the snow-capped mountains and the hidden lake below.... ....She had been waiting. For hours, that is. She expected as much, as her visit was unannounced and she knows Randy doesn't like surprises. Any kind of surprise. Even from his baby sister. So she would wait and enjoy the view. He would eventually have to go home and she knows where that is even if he decides to brush her off. The last time she came unannounced he had brushed her off and she had let him. Ten people died because of it. This time, she would not let that happen. She saw a pattern and he was going to listen to her, even if it is through his bathroom door in that monstrosity of a house he calls home. He bought it for Julie because Julie always has to have better that everyone else. Randy would have been just as happy in a cabin in the valley. However, Julie drives their boat so Julie gets what she wants. Rebecca heard the soft scraping of the chair behind her and saw her brother standing there. He was more pale that she remembered and had lost about 20lbs. As she turned towards him to get a full view, he lit a cigarette. "Randy. Really? You're smoking again? I thought you quit when the twins were born." The twins - Julia and Julius - were Randy's first born. They were now in Ivy League schools with undeclared majors and no one was pushing them to decide. Not even the school as they knew Randy and Julie would just continue with payments and who says no to easy cash. "Hello to you too, little sister. Long time no eye contact." Rebecca let out a soft sigh and decided it could wait. The cigarettes that is, not the reason she came to see him. "Do you recall two years ago when I came to you and told you I had discover an anomaly in the system and you didn't take me seriously?" Randy slowly lifted his head, letting his cigarette hang out of his mouth. "Yes." He didn't need a reminder. He hasn't fallen asleep since then without the faces of that mistake floating through his mind. "There's another anomaly. It's bigger this time and I need you to look into it." Randy let his head slowly fall back down as he watched an ant carry the smallest bread crumb he had even seen across the balcony. "Randy. Did you hear me? I think they're back." Randy stood up and put his cigar out on the arm of the chair. As he walked back inside, he turned to look at Rebecca. "Yes. I heard you and even though I don't think it is possible, be back at 7pm. Shirley will have left by then and Julie is going to a play tonight with the Margarita Girls. We won't be bothered." And with that, he was gone. As Rebecca walked back to her bike, she thought of Julie and her Margarita Girls. They had been friends since middle school and had always lived near each other. When everyone was single, they were roommates and neighbors. Now that they were all married, some on their second or third marriages, they were not as willing to move around and had all agreed to live within a couple hours of Julie. Her house was centrally located and Julie always had a way of getting her way, even with this group. The husbands never joined them and as far as Rebecca knew, the husbands never asked what they were doing or where they were going. They were just happy to have the arm candy for their corporate dinners and trips to places Rebecca couldn't remember, let alone pronounce. As far as she knew, they're little outings and trips were just girls having fun and no one cheating on their husbands. As far as she knew. Rebecca got back to Randy's office just before 7pm and he was sitting in the conference room with files spread out and a half eaten sandwich from the deli on the corner on the table. He looked up as she walked into the room and asked her, "What is the anomaly 'cause I've been looking through the stuff from two years ago and I think I found a piece that doesn't fit." He smirked as he noticed the shocked look in Rebecca's face. "Yes, I kept all of this and I have been pouring over it since you gave it to me. It bothers me that I missed it and that because of my laziness people died. I was determined to be ready if they came back." Rebecca slowly sat down and just stared at her brother. "You've been studying all this. The whole time?! Why didn't you tell me? We could've been working on this together?" "Yes. I didn't tell you because I needed one of us to be out there keeping an eye on them. I knew if I told you that you would want to be here and I needed you out there." With the papers in his hand, Randy pointed through the office to the balcony. "That is where they are. That is where we will find them. This, this right here, this is how we trap them and I think I've found it." Rebecca slowly lowered herself into the chair next to her brother and looked at him for the a moment without saying a word. It was then that she realized this is why he looked pale, why he had started smoking again and why he had lost all that weight. The guilt and determination he must feel. She had not even thought of that. All she had thought of was how he had not listened and how she had to make him listen this time. All the while, he had been pouting over the files she had given him so he didn't miss it this time. He did all of that not knowing if there would even be a next time. Rebecca reached up and put her hand on his. As he looked over at her, she noticed his eyes were holding back tears. "We will get them this time. Together, we will get them."

Thurs, Fri, Sat

Thursday I got my run in and am really working on not stopping in my runs. For Vegas I have to get my time down to an 11min mile. I'm not going to do that my stopping every 2-3mins. The rest of my MM went well. I am enjoying the focus it brings to my day. Friday was another good MM day. It seemed to take longer than normal but I could not get comfortable and kept moving where I was sitting. It probably did not help that Randy was home and up and wanted to talk. He is suppose to be starting his MM soon. (I thought he would start on Fri but I am not sure if he did.) I had some screw ups on my 7 Experiment fast but they were thought out and decided on. Nothing was an accident. Saturdays misses were also planned out. I have a tendency to think, "well I already messed up and tomorrow's not looking good either, I will just restart Monday." So, we will restart Monday. I actually don't think today will be an issue but I never know about Sunday's. I do know I won't eat any fast food as Chick-Fil-A is closed and they are the only fast food I eat.

Missed Out On E

Day 3 of MM and I missed out on my exercise. I am currently taking an online class to get my RE license but had not done a class since last week - which is putting me behind on my goal finish date. I chose to do a class instead of my exercise, knowing I could do my workout at work. What I didn't realize is that work didn't have a correct size weight for me to use and I was not planning on the gym after work. So it didn't happen. Today's a new day and I will go this morning before work. I got up early enough that it and my class can happen today. And now my thoughts have left me and I have nothing else to say.... TTFN

Rethinking

I know as soon as I say that I will update this in the mornings, I will miraculously remember to update at night. So I am not going to say anything except, I will update it when I update it. I seem to find myself recommending The Miracle Morning to everyone and I am only on day 2 - really on day 3 but this is a post for yesterday, so day 2. Someone can't get focused at work. You should try Miracle Morning. Cant seem to find the energy or time to workout? Hey, look into The Miracle Morning. In between jobs and feeling blah? I think The Miracle Morning will help. You should look into it. I am amazed at how focused my day stays just by adding in the couple of extras each morning to what I was already doing. Silence Affirmations Visualization Exercise Reading Scribing (Writing) I think this is going to be a good month. TTFN

Already a Day Behind.....

....not in my MM but in my post....was certain I typed this up last night but just realized it was all in my head. Literally. Today was Day 1 of The Miracle Morning. I like that it keeps me focused on the task at hand and that it doesn't allow for distractions. You go from one step to the next until you are done. The funny thing is that I always get up between 0500 and 0530 but I slept in. Until 0800. What?! Still not a problem as it just cut out the unnecessary Facebook time. Again, it keeps me focused and on task. I didn't realize until last night that I didn't do my Real Estate class - that is what I am missing by sleeping in. That and Facebook.... I found myself through out the day continuing to stay on task, as if I was on a schedule. I have also started "7" by Jen Hatmaker - or I guess I should say, I am doing it again. It goes by the premise of concentrating on "fasting" from a certain area of your life for a month. I don't necessarily agree with all that she says concerning fasting - or some of her other beliefs - but this book is good for getting a fresh perspective on ones life and all that we have to be thankful for. This first month is food. She chose 7 foods to eat. Just those 7, for the month. I have chosen to do more of a cutout of other food type things. My fast for this month is: no fast food (I only eat CFA anyway), no sweet tea (will add this back in at the end of the month, but only with meals), no snack foods (I tend to snack while I am packing the kid's lunches as work - two for you, one for me), no candy (again, work is causing me to gain weight), and my only treat allowed is Le Macaron on Sunday nights with Randy. It is our recharge, refresh, plan for the week time. I look forward to it all week and am completely bummed when it is missed. It stays, but as my only source of "happy food" all week. I am look forward to what this MM routine does for me and how I grow as I move through it and "7". Oh, I also started - complete with measurements and BMI - a diet and exercise journal. I have only had it for at least 5yrs - it made the move with us from VA to FL, so I figured I should go ahead and use it. Lots happening; lots of changes; God is moving and we are moving with Him. TTFN

The Night Before

Looks like Randy may be joining me in this Miracle Morning adventure......